Squeeze carton and blank for making same



P 1969 w. c. BEcKE 3,469,743

SQUEEZE CARTON AND BLANK FOR MAKING SAME Filed Feb. 6, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTUR. W! LLIAM C. BECKER BY mwa wwgw HIS ATTORNEYS Sept. 30, 1969 w, c, BECKER 3,469,743

SQUEEZE CARTON AND BLANK FOR MAKING SAME Filed Feb. 6. 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 38 FIG-6 INVENT 1V. WILUAM c. BECKER 41 @zLm w of? HIS ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,469,743 SQUEEZE CARTON AND BLANK FOR MAKING SAME William C. Becker, Henrico County, Va., assignor to Reynolds Metals Company, Richmond, Va., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 6, 1968, Ser. No. 703,438 Int. Cl. B65d 35/28, 35/56 US. Cl. 222-105 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure relates to a package construction comprised of a roughly wedge-shaped squeeze carton and a collapsible dispensing container contained therein in which such carton has an accordion pleated base which enables opposite walls thereof to be squeezed toward each other to squeeze opposite sides of the collapsible container together and enable easy dispensing of a product carried within such container through a dispensing opening provided therein.

Background of the invention Many semiliquid and liquid products are sold in disposable collapsible containers which are susceptible to damage during storage, transportation, and handling thereof whereby there is a substantial loss due to such damage. In addition, it has been found that the marketability of such semiliquid and liquid products is enhanced by packaging such disposable containers in a package construction which in addition to providing the required protection enables efiicient dispensing of the particular product carried within the associated collapsible container.

Summary Brief description of the drawings The accompanying drawings show a present preferred embodiment of this invention, in which FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one exemplary embodiment of this invention showing a collapsible dispensing container supported within a wedge-shaped outer protective carton which is provided with an accordion pleated base;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional View essentially on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 which shows the lower portion of the collapsible dispensing container in elevation;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the package construction of FIGURE 1 showing a substantially rectangular tear strip provided in the top portion thereof being severed away to enable a spout-like portion of the collapsible dispensing container to be extended upwardly for dispensing a product carried within such dispensing container;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the upper end portion of the package construction after removal of the tear strip, as shown in FIGURE 3, and showing the spout-like portion of the collapsible container extended outwardly;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of the terminal end portion of the spout-like portion of the collapsible dispensing container;

FIGURE 6 is a view with parts in section and parts in elevation illustrating the manner in which the accordion pleated base of the squeeze carton may be squeezed together to force the product carried within the collapsible container outwardly through its spout-like portion after providing an opening in the terminal end portion of such spout-like portion; and

FIGURE 7 illustrates the inside surface of the blank utilized to make the squeeze carton of FIGURE 1 in plan view and the collapsible dispensing container which is supported within such carton in perspective view while showing by dotted lines the manner in which the collapsible dispensing container is lowered into position against one end portion of the blank prior to wrapping and fastening such blank therearound to define the package construction of FIGURE 1.

Description of illustrated embodient Reference is now made to FIGURE 1 of the drawings wherein an improved package construction of this invention designated generally by the reference numeral 20 is illustrated. The package construction 20 is comprised of a roughly wedge-shaped outer carton designated gen erally by the numeral 21 and a collapsible dispensing container 22 which is carried in a protected manner within the carton 21.

The carton 21 has an accordion pleated base designated generally by the reference numeral 24, a pair of side walls 25 and 26 which converge upwardly toward each other and terminate in an apex 30 defining the top of the package construction 20, and open ends. The pleated base 24 is constructed so that it collapses inwardly and substantially coplanar with walls 25 and 26 upon squeezing such walls toward each other and for reasons which will be apparent hereinafter.

The collapsible dispensing container 22 is fastened to the inside surface of the carton 21 as shown at 31 and has an upper end portion in the form of a spout-like portion 33- which is adapted to define a dispensing opening for dispensing a product such as a semiliquid or liquid product 34 carried within the container 22. The spout-like portion 33 is adapted to be extended outwardly beyond, i.e., above, the top edge 30- of the package 20 after providing access thereto by severing a portion of carton 21 and a dispensing opening 36 is provided therein by severing the terminal end portion thereof essentially on a line as indicated at 37 to thereby enable the product 34 carried within the container 22 to be squeezed out of the opening 36.

As previously mentioned, the accordion pleated base 24 comprising the outer carton 21 enables the walls 25 and 26 to be squeezed toward each other essentially as shown by the arrows 38 and 39 illustrated in FIGURE 6 and inasmuch as the structural material utilized to define the walls 25 and 26 is comparatively stiif a squeezing force is applied by walls 25 and 26 against comparatively large surface areas of associated walls 40 and 41 respectively of the collapsible container 22 and as walls 411 and 41 are urged or squeezed toward each other the product 34 carried within the collapsible container 22 is forced through the dispensing opening 36 provided therein. As the walls 25 and 26 are released, after dispensing a desired amount of the product 34 from within the container 22, the construction of the pleated base is such that it tends to expand the lower end of the walls 25 and 26 outwardly whereby the package may be supported vertically as shown in FIGURE 1, if desired.

The dispensing container 22 has a substantially V- shaped fin 42 defining its lower end portion which is comprised of a pair of leg portions each designated by the same reference numeral 43 and extending outwardly from a lower edge 44 of container 22. The V-shaped fin 42 extends from the container 22 so that with such container supported in position as shown in FIGURE 1, the V-shaped fin 42 appears in an inverted position. The leg portions 43 of the fin 42 are adapted to engage an asso ciated portion of the pleated base 24 to prevent lateral shifting of the collapsible container 22 as it is supported within its outer carton 21.

The pleated base 24 of the outer carton 21 in this example of the invention also has a substantially inverted V-shaped configuration which hereinafter in this specification will also be referred to as V-shaped base 24. The inverted V-shaped base 24 has a pair of leg portions each designated by the same reference numeral 46 and the inverted V-shaped base 24 is arranged with respect to the collapsible container 22 so that the V-shaped fin 42 has its leg portions 43 straddling associated legs 46 of the V-shaped base portion 24 in the manner illustrated in the drawings. This straddling arrangement prevents shifting of the collapsible container within the outer carton 21 thus assuring maximum protection for the collapsible container 22.

From the above description it will be seen that the lower end portion of the container 22 is not fixed to the carton 21 but is confined in the desired manner by the cooperating action of V-shaped structures 24 and 42. However, the upper end portion of container 22 is fastened to the inside surface of the outer carton 21 as indicated at 31 by utilizing a suitable adhesive, such as glue, for example, across the full width of one of the walls of carton 21 and as indicated by the rectangular adhesive strip illustrated at 50 in FIGURE 7.

The wall of outer carton 21 has a first top edge 51 which is arranged immediately adjacent the apex of package 29 which is also the apex of outer carton 21 and such apex is defined by a fold line 52 which comprises the top edge of wall 26. The wall 26 has an extension flap 53 extending outwardly of fold line 52 which is fastened to the outside surface of the wall 25 adjacent the apex 30 and as shown at 54. The extension flap 53 is suitably fastened to the outside surface of wall 25 as by a suitable adhesive and as will be described in more detail subsequently in this specification.

The outer carton 21 of the package 20 has a roughly rectangular tear strip which is defined in the extension flap portion 53 thereof by a substantially U'shaped weakening line designated generally by the reference numeral 61. The U-shaped weakening line has bight portion 62 thereof arranged so that it coincides with the central portion of the fold line 52 and has a pair of outwardly extending legs each designated by the same reference numeral 63.

Each outwardly extending leg 63 of the U-shaped weakening line 61 registers above an associated side edge of the spout-like portion 33 of the collapsible container 22 and each side edge of spout-like portion 33 is designated by the reference numeral 65. The manner in which the spout-like portion 33 may be exposed for dispensing the product 34 carried within the container 22 and the manner of fastening the dispensing container 22 so that the spout-like portion 33 may extend outwardly of the apex 30 to enable easy dispensing of the product 34 from within the container 22 will now be described in detail.

In particular, it will be seen from FIGURE 7 of the drawings that the collapsible dispensing container 22 has a roughly rectangular strip portion the outer surface of which is adhesively fastened to the inside surface of wall 26 of outer carton 21 by the adhesive shown at 50. The squeeze carton 21 is, in effect, wrapped around the container 22 after fastening strip portion 70 against adhesive strip 50 and the extension flap 53 is fastened against the top outside surface of wall 25 as shown at 54 and as previously mentioned. A suitable adhesive area is provided on the inside surface of the extension flap 53 adjacent its outer end portions and in each instance outwardly of a leg portion 63 of U-shaped weakening line 61, and each adhesive area is designated by the same reference numeral 71.

It will also be seen from FIGURES 2-4 that the spoutlike portion 33 is wrapped over the top edge 51 of the wall 25 and downwardly along the top portion of wall 25. The construction and arrangement of the spout-like portion 33 is such that as it is folded around the top edge 51 of wall 25 and against the top portion of wall 25 it is fully concealed and protected beneath the extension flap 53. Yet, because adhesive is eliminated from the area within the U-shaped weakening line 61, it will be seen that the spout-like portion 33 is not adhesively fastened at any point to the outer carton 21. By concealing the spout-like portion 33 until it is ready for use it will be appreciated that the package 20 has optimum aesthetic appeal.

The rectangular tear strip 60 is severed in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 3 and the spout-like portion 33 may be extended outwardly beyond the top edge 30 of the package 20 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 4 whereupon it is a simple matter to provide the dispensing opening 36 in the container 22 by severing portion 33 along a line as indicated at 37 and as previously described. Although the tear strip 60 of this example has been illustrated and described as being formed by a U-shaped weakening line so that it may be severed completely away, it will be appreciaed that a strip similar to strip 60 may be defined only by a pair of spaced apart weakening lines so that it may remain attached to the package construction. Also, in this latter form such strip similar to strip 60 may be provided with a pressure sensitive adhesive on its terminal end portion which would enable the spoutlike portion 33 to be rescaled after each use merely by folding it against the outer wall 25 and then fastening the partially severed strip in position.

The collapsible dispensing container 22 utilized in this exemplary package construction 20 may be made of a moisture impervious material such as a plastic material or a laminated construction in which metallic foil is utilized. Generally the container 22 may be formed by utilizing sheets of such moisture impervious material which are suitably bonded together about their peripheral edges so as to define a product receiving chamber 73 within the confines of the peripheral edges and as illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 6.

The carton 21 comprising package construction 20 can be formed in any suitable manner and made from any suitable foldable material. It is preferably formed from the blank 75 illustrated in the lower portion of FIG- URE 7 of the drawings. The blank 75 is made of paperboard, or the like, and may have a side such as the exposed surface thereof laminated with metallic foil, such as aluminum-containing metallic foil, or the like, suitably colored, embossed, imprinted, or remaining plain, as desired.

The following description of the blank 75 will be made by describing primarily those structural portions which were not previously described in detail in connection with the description of the carton 21 and Where a previous detailed description was made in connection with the carton 21, such description will not be repeated; however, corresponding component portions of blank 75 will be designated by the same reference numerals as in the carton 21.

Blank 75 is of rectangular peripheral outline and is suitably cut and scored and adapted to be assembled to define the resulting wedge-shaped outer carton 21 and comprises a first fold line 52 adjacent one end portion thereof, which defines the apex 30 of the resulting carton 21 and the top edge of wall 26, and a set of spaced apart fold lines 76, 77 and 78 arranged in the central portion of the blank 75 and arranged parallel to the fold line 52. The set of fold lines 76-78 define the accordion pleated base 24 in the resulting carton 21.

The substantially U-shaped weakening line 61 provided in carton 21 and hence blank 75 from which the carton is made is defined by a plurality of spaced apart slits 79 arranged in the previously described U-shaped configuration and only a few representative ones of such slits have been designated by the reference numeral 79. However, it will be appreciated that any suitable technique may be used to form the weakening line 61.

The fold lines 52, 76, 77 and 78 provided in the blank 75 are preferably formed as score lines which may be defined utilizing standard scoring equipment. The score lines 52, 76 and 78 are generally scored in one direction. However, the central score line 77 of the set of three score lines 76-78 is preferably scored in an opposite direction from the other two score lines 76 and 78 to thus enable the inverted V-shaped base 24 to be readily collapsed inwardly in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 6. It will be appreciated that if all the score lines 7678 were to be formed in the same direction it would be more difficult to collapse the leg portions 46 of the inverted V-shaped base 24 inwardly.

Although the central score line 77 has been described as being formed by scoring in an opposite direction from the score lines 76 and 78 it may be desirable to define a fold line similar to fold line 77 by a cut-score process wherein a plurality of elongated slits are arranged in spaced apart end-to-end relation in a rectilinear path whereby the cut-scoring may be achieved urging suitable cutting blades in the same direction as the scoring blades used to form lines 52, 76 and 78 whereby blank 75 could be processed more rapidly in a mass production operation. The forming of line 77 as a cut-score would enable easy reverse folding essentially as described for the reverse score line 77 of this illustration.

In this example of the invention a single collapsible container 22 is shown suitably fastened in position within a wedge-shaped outer carton 21. However, it will be appreciated that a plurality of such containers could be similarly fastened in position within a collapsible squeeze carton and wherein the accordion pleated base 24 could be defined so that a V-shaped base portion could be provided in effect for each collapsible dispensing container 22 arranged therewithin. Further, in those instance where a plurality of collapsible dispensing containers are installed in position in a wedge-shaped squeeze carton it may be desirable that the lower end portion of the associated collapsible dispensing container not be V-shaped but could be comprised of a substantially rectangular fin which would lie along an associated portion of a pleated base.

The improved package construction of this invention provides a maximum area on the outer carton 21 for advertisement. Further, the bellows-effect provided by the outer carton 21 and the fact that comparatively large areas of the walls 40 and 41 are squeezed together upon urging walls 25 and 26 together provides a more efii'cient dispensing of the product 34 from within container 22.

In addition, the suspension of the collapsible dispensing container 22 within the outer carton 21 and the cooperating arrangement of the V-shaped fin 42 together with an accordion pleated base 24 of the outer carton prevents shifting of container 22 while assuring optimum protection for such container.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination: a roughly wedge-shaped carton having an accordion pleated base and a pair of Walls terminating in an apex, and a collapsible dispensing container carried within said carton and fastened to said carton adjacent said apex and having an upper end portion adapted to define a dispensing opening for dispensing a product contained within said container, said carton providing protection for said container and upon forming said dispensing opening in said upper end portion said pleated base enables said walls to be squeezed toward each other to thereby squeeze opposite sides of said container and force said product through said dispensing opening, said container having an inverted V-shaped fin defining the lower end portion thereof, said V-shaped fin being comprised of a pair of leg portions extending outwardly from a lower edge of said container, said V-shaped fin having its leg portions straddling an associated portion of said accordion pleated base to hold the lower end portion of said container within said carton against shifting movements.

2. A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said associated portion of said accordion pleated base of the protective outer carton also has an inverted V-shaped configuration integrally formed therein which supports said V-shaped fin and said V-shaped configuration of said outer carton serves to expand the lower portions of said pair of walls outwardly to provide a support for said carton and the dispensing container carried therewithin.

3. In combination: a roughly wedge-shaped carton having an accordion pleated base and a pair of walls terminating in an apex, one of said pair of walls of said carton having a first top edge adjoining said apex and the other of said pair of walls having a fold line defining its top edge and said apex with an extension flap extending outwardly of said fold line, said extension flap being fastened to the outside surface of said one wall, and a collapsible dispensing container carried within said carton and fastened to said carton adjacent said apex and having an upper end portion adapted to define a dispensing opening for dispensing a product contained within said container, said dispensing container having a flat spout-like portion comprising said upper end portion which is adapted to be severed adjacent its terminal end to define said dispensing opening, said container being fastened in position so that said spout-like portion is folded around said first top edge and sandwiched between said extension flap and said one side wall upon fastening said extension flap to said one side wall, said extension flap having a tear strip provided therein and arranged above said spoutlike portion which is adapted to be severed to provide access to said spout-like portion, said carton providing protection for said container and upon forming said dispensing opening in said upper end portion said pleated base enables said walls to be squeezed toward each other to thereby squeeze opposite sides of said container and force said product through said dispensing opening.

4. A substantially rectangular blank being cut and scored and adapted to be assembled to define a resulting wedge-shaped carton having an accordion pleated base and a pair of walls terminating in an apex, said resulting carton being adapted to support a collapsible dispensing container therewithin which has a spout-like portion which may be severed to define a dispensing opening for dispensing a product contained therein and upon forming said dispensing opening said pleated base of said resulting carton enables said walls to be squeezed toward each other to thereby squeeze said product from within said dispensing container supported within said resulting ca-rton, said blank comprising, one edge adapted to define the top edge of one of said walls of said resulting carton, a first fold line adjacent one end portion thereof, said first fold line being adapted to define the top edge of the other of said walls and the apex of said resulting carton, a set of spaced apart fold lines arranged in the central portion of said blank and arranged parallel to said first fold line, said set of fold lines being adapted to define said accordion pleated base of said resulting carton, and a rectangular extension flap extending outwardly of said first fold line, said extension flap being adapted to be fastened against the outside surface of said one wall adjacent its top edge in said resulting carton, said extension flap having a tear strip defined therein by a substantially U-shaped weakening line having a bight portion which coincides with said first fold line and a pair of outwardly extending legs which extend to the terminal edge of said extension flap, said outwardly extending leg portions being adapted to register above opposite side edges of said spout-like portion of said dispensing container upon fastening said dispensing container within said resulting carton and said extension flap being fastened to said one wall of said resulting carton at locations outwardly of the area between said outwardly extending leg portions of said U-shaped weakening line.

5. A combination as set forth in claim 3 in which said tear strip is defined by a substantially U-shaped weakening line which has a bight portion coinciding with said fold line and a pair of outwardly extending leg portions extending to the terminal edge of said extension flap.

6. A combination as set forth in claim 3 in which said spout-like portion extends from the central portion of said dispensing container, said extension flap has a tear strip defined therein by a pair of tear lines provided therein and registering above opposite side edges of said spoutlike portion, said extension flap being fastened to said one wall only at locations outwardly of the area between said tear lines, said spout-like portion having a length less than said extension flap and prior to severing said tear strip is concealed therebeneath, and upon tearing along said tear lines said tear strip and spout-like portion are free to be extended beyond said apex for easy severing of said spout-like portion adjacent its terminal end to provide said dispensing opening.

7. A combination as set forth in claim 3 in which said spout-like portion extends from the central portion of said dispensing container, said extension flap has a tear strip of rectangular peripheral outline defined therein by a roughly U-shaped weakening line arranged with the bight thereof coinciding with said fold line in said other wall and a pair of outwardly extending leg portions of said U-shaped weakening line extending to the terminal edge of said extension flap and registering above opposite side edges of said spout-like portion, said extension flap being fastened to said one wall only at locations outwardly of the area between said outwardly extending leg portions of said U-shaped weakening line, and upon severing said rectangular tear strip by severing along said U-s'haped weakening line said spout-like portion is free to be extended beyond said apex for easy severing of said spout-like portion adjacent its terminal end to provide said dispensing opening.

8. A combination as set forth in claim 7 in which said dispensing container is made of a moisture impervious sheet material and the main body portion thereof has a substantially rectangular peripheral configuration.

9. A blank as set forth in claim 4 and further comprising adhesive means provided on one surface of said other wall adjoining said first fold line for fastening said collapsible container within said resulting carton and adhesive means applied on said one surface of said extension flap outwardly of the area between said outwardly extending leg portions of said U-shaped weakening line for holding said resulting wedge-shaped carton together.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,331,842 10/1943 Moran 222107 3,028,986 4/1962 Cushman 222-107 X 3,367,380 2/1968 Dickey 222107 X STANLEY H. TOLLBERG, Primary Examiner 

